Windsor's annual Take Back the Night March made its way through downtown Windsor Friday night on the 40th anniversary of women standing is support of safety for women.
Take Back the Night's mission to end sexual, relationship, and domestic violence in all forms began back in 1978 what began as protests and vigils has developed into people of all genders and identities marching in support of safe streets every September since 2001.
Naomi Levitz is with Windsor Women Working with Immigrant Women, she tells AM800 News multiple organizations come together every year, not just in support of safe streets for women, but for everyone.
"All genders, specifically women, but all genders, should have the right to be on streets at any hour of the day or night regardless of what they're wearing, regardless of what they're doing," she says. "When things happen to us and to our bodies we need to call that out and blame those that are perpetrating the violence, not the victims and survivors of that violence."
Levitz says the march through Windsor's entertainment district is meant to send a message, and she says that message seems to be catching on.
"We purposely do a lap up Ouellette Ave., Park St., around Chatham St. because that's where the bars are and that's where our message really needs to be heard," she says. "This year was especially awesome because we had men come out of bars shouting 'we're with you, you go, you march" at some of the bars where we would find that behaviour surprising in a pleasant way."
The march kicked off at the Art Gallery of Windsor before cutting through downtown Windsor through Ouellette Ave. and ending on Maiden Ln.
Communities in more than 30 countries around the world march every year in September.